Backed by the strongest engineering and material scientists in the industry, Formlabs acquisition strengthens its vertical integration, allowing for faster material development and innovation

SOMERVILLE, Mass. and MILLBURY, Ohio, Nov. 12, 2019 – Formlabs, the designer and manufacturer of powerful and accessible 3D printing systems, has today announced the acquisition of Spectra Group Photopolymers LLC. Spectra has been Formlabs’ primary material supplier for its library of proprietary resin materials since Formlabs came to market in 2012. Today the company has announced its further investment into renovating the facility for biocompatible manufacturing.

For more than 20 years, Spectra has been a creative and inventive force in the field of photochemistry, UV/EB radiation cure and organic synthetic chemistry. Formlabs has invested over a million dollars into building out an FDA registered, ISO Class 8 certified clean room in an ISO 13485 certified facility for dental and medical materials development within Spectra.

“From the beginning, it’s been important that Formlabs provide a reliable and accessible printing process,” said Max Lobovsky, CEO and co-founder of Formlabs. “Supporting a successful print process meant rigorous engineering, innovative material development, and enabling a seamless end-to-end process for our users. Most 3D printing companies are not vertically integrated and don’t have access to their own resin manufacturing, but we believe materials are a critical component in opening up new applications, workflows and disrupting industries.”

“Formlabs has been an excellent partner and joining forces has meant growing our capabilities,” said Alex Mejiritski, president at Spectra Photopolymers. “Biocompatibility is an exciting addition for Formlabs and Spectra, we’re looking forward to continuing our investment in innovative Formlabs materials.”

As part of the acquisition all Spectra customers will continue to be retained and served without interruptions. Spectra will also continue to provide its expertise and engage in independent business developments where appropriate.

Today, Formlabs has also announced its new dedicated dental business unit Formlabs Dental, Form 3B dental 3D printer, and materials aimed to meet the needs of dental, lab, and orthodontic professionals. Among the new materials include: Formlabs newly formulated Surgical Guide Resin and four new shades in the Digital Dentures material family.

As part of the new hardware announcement, the company is opening its materials platform for the Form 3B and extending offers to resin manufacturers to validate and add their materials to the ecosystem. With Formlabs’ investment in biocompatible manufacturing at its Ohio facility, verticals such as dental, healthcare, and audiology will reap the benefits of the company’s superior printer and material solutions.

About Formlabs
Formlabs is expanding access to digital fabrication, so anyone can make anything. Headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts with offices in Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, Hungary, and North Carolina, Formlabs is the professional 3D printer of choice for engineers, designers, manufacturers, and decision makers around the globe. Formlabs products include the Form 3, Form 3B, and Form 3L, powered by an advanced form of stereolithography (SLA) called Low Force Stereolithography (LFS)™ 3D printing; Form 2 SLA 3D printer; Form Wash and Form Cure post-processing solutions; Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer; and Form Cell manufacturing solution. Formlabs also develops its own suite of high-performance materials that continue to push the boundaries for 3D printing, as well as best-in-class 3D printing software.